Oakville will soon be home to several brand new community-engaged public art displays with the new Public Art Residency program.
CreateSpace, a national public art program, is hosting its 2024 Public Art Residency program, dedicated to helping emerging Black, Indigenous, and racialized artists develop the skills, relationships, and practical experiences needed to develop their public art practice.
CreateSpace has announced its lineup for the 2024 residency and seven talented artists have been selected from a pool of over 150 applicants, marking the program's fourth year of promoting creativity and community engagement across Canada.
Throughout April to December 2024, the artists will participate in virtual residency sessions (such as workshops, artist talks, and studio visits), build professional relationships with artistic mentors and public art practitioners, and develop their very own public art projects in collaboration with municipal and cultural program partners.
The artists whose residency journeys have begun for the 2024 Public Art Residency program are:
- Aaron Jones (Toronto, Ontario)
- A.Y. Johnson (Brampton, Ontario)
- Jasmine Vanstone (Toronto, Ontario)
- Josh Wāpiskisiw (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
- MonkYi (Toronto, Ontario)
- Raechel Wastesicoot (Toronto, Ontario)
- Sikapinakii Low Horn (Siksika Nation, Alberta)
Each artist is paired with a CreateSpace partner to identify potential locations for their public art project and inspire localized projects from concept to completion. This year’s partners include:
- City of Brampton (paired with A.Y. Johnson)
- City of Richmond Hill (paired with Jasmine Vanstone)
- City of Saskatoon (paired with Josh Wāpiskisiw)
- Critical Mass (paired with Aaron Jones and Raechel Wastesicoot to create public artwork in Port Hope, Ontario)
- Galt Museum (paired with Sikapinakii Low Horn to create public artwork in Lethbridge, Alberta)
- Town of Oakville (paired with MonkYi)
An exact date for the art displays unveiling has not yet been announced, as the residency is just beginning.